Obituary of Bruce Edward Eggleton

Bruce Edward Eggleton, 84, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at his home in Scotts Valley, CA on March 4, 2024. 

Bruce was born on July 4, 1939, in Minneapolis, MN to Cecil and Mae Eggleton. He was the older brother to three sisters, Gail, Joan, and Lynn. Bruce spent his time in Minnesota running around with friends, building model boats, and canoeing. From childhood, one of the most consistent themes in Bruce’s life was his role as a handyman. Bruce could conceptualize a solution to any problem and execute it.

When Bruce was 16, his family moved to Santa Barbara, CA where Bruce attended Santa Barbara High School. He was known in town for his award-winning “phone booth on wheels,” a beautiful 1927 Model T that he restored and maintained. 

Bruce graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree. There, he met his incredible wife, Pat, and the two married on June 30, 1962. Shortly after their wedding, the pair moved to Tucson, AZ, where Bruce proudly served in the US Air Force as a First Lieutenant. In Arizona, Bruce and Pat enjoyed picnicking with neighbors, barbecuing with friends at Mount Lemmon, and becoming parents to their son Keith. 

In 1966, Bruce and Pat moved to Santa Maria, CA and in 1968, they welcomed their daughter Carol. While living in Santa Maria, Bruce enjoyed a lengthy, successful career as a salesman at IBM and showcased his humor by performing in office skits and at happy hours with co-workers. To this day, IBM timecards with handwritten instructions for various processes can be found throughout Bruce’s house. After retiring from IBM, he worked as the YMCA Membership Director and, in his spare time, enjoyed camping, swimming, and completing a variety of home projects.

Many of Bruce’s fondest memories were formed on road trips with Pat. Over thousands of miles, Pat drove and Bruce occupied the passenger seat, often reading the newspaper out loud. Always equipped with camping chairs and a cooler, the two traveled to all fifty states, many historical sites, and visited lots of friends along the way.

Bruce made friends everywhere he went and famously had a knack for learning about others. His curiosity was endless, and you could often hear him ask questions such as “How long have you been working here?” or “What brought you here today?” To everyone’s amazement, he would typically leave conversations knowing the other person’s life story. As described by his daughter, Bruce had a “superpower” of connection. He had an unparalleled sense of humor and could never resist telling a good joke. He could offend no one no matter what question he asked because he always had a playful twinkle in his eye.  

In 1999, Bruce and Pat became grandparents and in 2003, the two moved to Scotts Valley, CA to live closer to the growing family. Bruce had six grandchildren and was affectionately known by them as Papa or Pabu. Family was extremely important to Bruce – he loved his grandchildren hard and teased them even harder. He continued his role as a builder and a fixer, and crafted his family a plethora of desks, sandboxes, soapbox derby cars, toy chests, mirror frames, and even a life-size wooden horse. Trips to Kauai forged memories the family will cherish forever.

Bruce is survived by his wife of 62 years, Pat, son Keith (Erin), daughter Carol Snell (Jim), and grandchildren Katie, Charlie, Aya, Maggie, Jimmy, and Annie. The family is holding a service to celebrate Bruce’s life on March 26, 2024, at 10 am at San Agustin Catholic Church in Scotts Valley, CA. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bruce’s name to Hospice of Santa Cruz County at https://www.hospicesantacruz.org/donate-now/.